Brazil will need to improve to beat Chile

Brazil seemed relieved after securing top spot in their group last night beating Cameroon 4-1.

By topping Group A it means the hosts have avoided playing Netherlands in the last 16 and will instead meet group B runners-up Chile. But Brazil's joy of winning their group will be short lived if they don't improve against fellow South American side Chile when they meet on Saturday.

Winning

Brazil's two victories may sound convincing, 3-1 and 4-1 wins over Croatia and Cameroon respectively, but the hosts haven't exactly been firing on all cylinders so far. Their opponents in the knockout round will be hoping to be the ultimate party poopers and you certainly can't rule out a Chilean victory.

Even during their 4-1 victory on Monday night against Cameroon, Brazil had some nervy moments and would have been punished by opposition with a bit more quality. Chile have shown they have that quality after beating world champions Spain 2-0 and Australia 3-1, progressing from a tough group.

Full-backs Daniel Alves and Marcelo have been caught out on numerous times during the tournament as they seem much more concerned about going forward rather than defending. Chile will look to exploit this with Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas drifting out wide and causing problems for full-backs.

Although this Chile side is oozing with quality, don't underestimate their work-rate which is key to their performances. The central midfield pairing of Charles Aránguiz and Marcelo Díaz provide solid protection for their dogged back three.

Celebrations

Their celebrations on Monday night when Fernandinho poked the ball home to give them a 4-1 lead and cement top spot suggested that they would much prefer to play Chile than Netherlands.

However the Chileans could come back and haunt them with Jorge Sampaoli's side already showing they could progress far in this tournament. Brazil will need to improve their performance levels, especially defensively, or else they could be facing an early exit at the hands of Chile.

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DISCLAIMER

This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeSport Writing Academy and does not represent the views of
GiveMeSport.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article.
GiveMeSport.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.

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